DNA Damage in wild populations of Caiman latirostris environmentally exposed to pesticides: evidence of oxidative stress

POLETTA, GISELA L.; SIROSKI, PABLO A.; KLEINSORGE, ELISA C.; MUDRY, MARTA D.

Foz do Iguassu

Congreso; 11th International Conference on Environmental Mutagens/XI Congress of SBMCTA/IX Congress of ALAMCTA; 2013

SBMCTA/ALAMCTA

Among the wide range of damages cause by pesticides on health, genotoxicity and oxidative stress (OE) are considered biologically relevant and highly informative as early warnings of the impacts on natural populations. The excess in reactive molecules can lead to direct or indirect damage to DNA. The final fate of these alterations is uncertain, but they could affect the normal function of physiological processes, with consequences at cellular, individual and population level. The aim of this work was to evaluate the environmental situation of wild populations of a native reptile species, Caiman latirostris living in an area highly exposed to pesticides in the central-east region of Argentina. We use biomarkers of genotoxicity: Comet assay (CA) and Micronucleus (MN) test, and OE damage to DNA: Comet assay modified with bacterial enzymes FPG and ENDO III. The study takes place in two different areas situated in Santa Fe province (Argentina): 1) area exposed to pesticides, situated near to agricultural activities center: ?El Lucero?; 2) control area, not exposed to pesticides or any contamination activity: ?El Fisco? (natural reserve). Samples from caimans of different size (from hatchlings to adults) were taken from the spinal vein and techniques applied as previously adapted for this species by our group. Results showed a significantly highly DNA damage in animals from the exposed region than in those from the control area, for both the MN test and CA (P